Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-31
ORDERED TO STRIKE.
THE CONVENTION OF READING EMPLOYEES
TAKES DECISIVE ACTION.
All the Freight Men to Quit WOrk-Rhs Company Of
fclals UDdisnayed-RnplOyss Remaining
at their Posts and the Order Con-
sidered a Failure.

READlNGi IA, december SO.-The con-
vention of Reading railrosd employees,
after continuous session ii nearly four
hours, adjourned at half past three O'Clock
this morning, and at that tine decided to
issue orders for general strike to take
place at twelve o'clock to-day.
Every man in the employ of the Read
ing Company, with the exception of
passenger trainmen, trackmen and signal
tower men, and crossing switchmen, is to
go on the strike, and 10 minutes after the
meeting the signal was flashed across the
wires to Philadelphia and Williamsport.
The resolution says that the men shall
strike and remain out until the company
shall agree to- -arbitrate all differences.
This includes the shop men in this city,
who took the initiative in refusing to go
out early this week, thus breaking the
backbone of the strike at that time, and
every man who belongs to the Knights. A
resolution was also passed,
OFFERING A REWARD
of s., 900 for the arrest of any person who
in any way destroys or injures any of the
company's property. The order includes
not only the hands on the Main line, but
over the whole system, and is to take
effect at noon to-day. 1t is thought that
the shop hands in this city will not obey
the order.
After the adjournment Of the convention
the miners held separate session and did
not adjourn until 3 O'Clock this morning.
They transacted nothing definite in refer
ence TO striking, but agreed to give full
financial and moral support To the strikers
on the railroad. The Schuylkill county
delegation was composed of l25 delegates,
and they almost to lhan predicted that
the company's 3d. miners would strike
il they were not conceded the s per cent.
advance.
THE MINERS ACTION.
The miners did not decide to strike
with the railroaders because they are
working by an agreement with the COM
pany which is binding until January lst,
and because they still have hopes that the
company will continue the : per cent.
advance.
Chairman Lee, of the Executive Com
mittee, before he left Reading this morn
Ing declared that if astrike OF miners did
take place it would not only affect the
Schuylkill miners, but those in the WyOm-
ing coal fields, rs well as the Lehigh
miners, lie felt sure they would all re-
main firm, thus placing on strike at one
time 10, 5000 miners, and not pound OF
coal could then be mined.
Last nights convention consisted eX-
aCtly of 1868 delegates, n majority of whom
came from the coal regions, the Lehigh
and Wyoming miners being also repre-
sented. The convention was secret Hard
ly delegate arrived before sundOwn
last evening, and every one had
disappeared from the city before
daylight The cOmpany's officials in this
city are not greatly exercised over the new
order to the railroaders. To strikers they
say that the trains are all running on time,
that they have all the men they want and
others in reserve and that the only danger
is Of a coal famine ii the miners should
strike. This morning the convention made
public the correspondence of the Knights
of Labor and Miners and Laborers Amalga-
mated Association in Pottsyille with Pres
ident COrbin. In the first dispatch the
men say that they are desirous of arbitra-
ting, as public interests demanded salts
factory settlement. Work to continue as
usual pending arbitration.
To this President Corbin replied that
be had
NOTHING To ARBITRATE"
The men replied that public interests
should lot suffer" and urgently appealed
that negotiations open in hopes of an ami
cable adjustment President CoIbin re-
piled to this that the company had moth
ing to discuss or arbitrate. He adds: ANY
dictatiOn By any one in our employ as to
how we shall do our business, will be fol-
lowed by the immediate discharge of the
meddler." He says that employees must
decide as between the Knights of Labor
and the company. He adds: ''If such
allegiance is to the k. OF l.. first, such men
will not be tolerated in our service min
ute"
To this the men replied that they want
ed to avoid impending difficulty" but
would contest every inch Of ground, in
spired with the motto, mo surrender until
victory is complete"
BY seven o'clock this morning every
delegate to the convention had left Read
ing and departed tor home. Capt. Linden,
the well known Pinkerton detective,
passed through here to-day bound for the
coal regions, where he will organize
special officers to protect the company's
property. None OF the employees on the
road or in the shops in this city struck
to-day i'm accordance with the order of the
convention. 1t falls fiat throughout this
section, and the only turbulent feeling Is
reported from the coal regions.
1--WE sent twenty coal trains into the
regions and TWO thousand loaded cars to
Tidewater, besides nearly 1900 cars OF
freight yesterday and last night" said
General Dispatcher Bertolet, OF this city,
this morning.
''Do you think there is a probability OF
q revival OF the strike among your present
force?" was asked.
''No, sir, emphatically No. Why should
they? The men all applied for work vol
UNFAIRLY, and it is not probable that they
would act so fOolishly. Oh, no, they are
not made OF that kind of material. The
men we have now ore going to stay with
u.s.
At 1:3Op. m. all trains were moving rs
usual and not an emplOye, as far as could
be learned, was from his post. In Reading
and vicinity everything is Just as quiet
along the railroad as if no strike had ever
taken place, or any ordered. There is not
single indication of trouble.
The Situation Unchanged:
PHILADELPHIA, December S0.-Presi-